Gas washing systems providing high velocity spray pattern of liquid droplets



Feb. 2, 1965 R. M. JAMISON 96 GAS WASHING SYSTEMS'PROVIDING HIGHVELOCITY SPRAY PATTERN OF LIQUID DROPLETS Filed Jan. 5, 1961 3Sheets-Sheet 1 4 a 1 If x s E H I 3 5 i i l INVENTOR. Flg. IA Robert M.Jamison ,l/Wr/L 4 WM ATTORNEYS 3,168,596 SP Y Feb. 2, 1965 R. M. JAMISONGAS WASHING SYSTEMS PROVIDI Feb. 2, 1965 R. M. JAMISON 3,168,596

GAS WASHING SYSTEMS PROVIDING HIGH VELOCITY SPRAY PATTERN OF LIQUIDDROPLETS Filed Jan. 5, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 llllllllllhlIIIIIHHIIMIINVENTOR. F

Robert M. Jamison 6 11161 War/v7, d $746M ATTORNEYS United States PatentOfifice attest Patented Feb. 2, 1965 3,168,596 GAS WASl HNG SYSTEMSPROVIDING EHGH VELOCITY SPRAY PATTERN F LIQUID DROPLETS Robert M.Jamison, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Ajem Laboratories, Incorporated,Livonia, Mich. Filed Jan. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 80,822 8 Claims. (Cl.261-29) This invention relates to gas washing systems and, moreparticularly, to gas washing systems providing a high velocity spray.pattern of droplets adapted for wet-type dust and fume collectors andgas-liquid reaction processes.

The present invention is well adapted for use in wettype dust and fumecollectors, often called air washers, of the type presently incommercial use. The novel gas washing systems in accordance with theprinciples of this invention as hereinafter described are, for example,adapted for use in collectors of the type shown in the Emil UmbrichtPatent 2,789,866, issued April 23, 1957, and, also, the Emil Umbricht etal. Patent 2,833,417, issued on May 6, 1958. However, as will beunderstood by those skilled in the art, this invention provides numerousadvantages which make possible its useful application in apparatusgenerally of the type requiring for effective operation a highlyconcentrated, uniformly distributed spray patternof high velocitydroplets.

Air washers are employed extensively in industry for the control of airpollution and/ or the salvaging of valuable materials, e.g. metalparticles, chemicals in both solid, liquid and gas phase, etc. In suchapparatus, spray-generating equipment has been employed to generate aspray pattern of droplets for sweeping out and removing air pollutantsor other air-borne products, for

example, grinding dusts, smoke originating from metallurgical processes,chemical fumes, etc. The contaminated air is directed through a washingspray which, in effect, wets and sweeps out the contaminating material.The washing'liquid customarily used for such purposes is water or waterwith one or more neutralizing agents added thereto to assist not only inthe removal of the particulate matter but, also, to facilitate thesubsequent handling of the washing liquid. The contaminating material isthereafter separated and recovered from the washing fluid byconventional settling or. filtering processes.

The smaller physical species of air-borne contaminants are moredifficult to wet and sweep from the air than are ordinary lint and dustparticles, and it is found that these smaller particles often passthrough spray patterns provided by present-day spray-generatingequipment. Such small specie, including, for example, finely dividedparticles, aerosols, molecular contaminants, etc., require for theirremoval a highly concentrated uniform spray pattern of very highvelocity droplets; Though earlier wettype collectors have been usedWidely in air pollution c'on trol'and the salvaging of air-bornematerials, the efflciencies of such collectors with respect to thesesmaller contaminants is often found to be limited. However, theapparatus embodying the principles of this invention creates a highlyconcentrated, uniformly distributed spray pattern comprising numeroussmall droplets of very high velocity which penetrate deeply into the airbeing washed whereby the probability of collision with these smallercontaminants is increased.

An object of this invention is, therefore, to provide gas Washingsystems producing a more uniformly distributed, highly concentratedwashing spray pattern, i.e. having no voids or irregularities, ofveryhigh velocity droplets.

Another object of this invention is to provide gas washing systemsincorporating eflicient spray-generating equipmentywhich is economicalto construct and operate and yet is adapted for rotation at high speeds.

Another object of this invention is to provide gas Washing systems whichmay be effectively incorporated with air washers of the type presentlyin commercial use.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide gas washing systemswherein the spray-generating apparatus is not subject to deformingstresses from residues or other unbalancing conditions while rotating athigh speeds.

These and other objects of this invention are achieved and numerousadvantages are provided in. the illustrative gas washing systemsembodying this invention wherein the spraygenerating equipment comprisesa multiplicity of impeller vanes arranged in a balanced pattern aboutthe axis of a rotating support plate. The washing liquid is fed to theimpeller vanes from a feed device near the axis of rotation of thesupport plate. Accordingly, the washing liquid due to rapid revolutionsof the support plate, is centrifugally accelerated outwardly along eachof the impeller vanes. Having traveled along the impeller vanes, thewashing liquid is impelled as from a sling by the vanes in the form ofdroplets. By this method, high velocity droplets are produced for a morethorough cleaning of air contaminants. The high speed revolutions ofthesupport plate result in a corresponding decrease in the size of thedroplets and, also, a corresponding increase in the energy impartedthereto for a more effective scrubbing of the air. Further, as theimpeller vanes are equiangularly disposed about the axis of rotation ofthe sup port plate, the air in passing through the spray pattern isswept by rotating ray-like streams of high velocity droplets emanatingabout the periphery of the support plate.

The spray generator thus provided is of rugged construe-- tion and notsubject to deforming stresses when operated at very high speeds.

Another advantage of the illustrative examples of this invention resultsfrom theprovision of a multiplicity of spray-generating units keyed to asingle drive shaft to effect a staggered or offset relationship of therespective impeller vane patterns. In addition, impeller vane patternsare provided in staggered relationship on lower and.

upper surfaces of each support plate. Ineffect, therefore, thecontaminated gas is directed through a spray pattern comprisingoverlapping layers of diverse patterns of high velocity droplets. (SeeFIGURE 3, for exam-.

ple.) Impeller vanes of differing curvature are provided on the. lowerand upper surfaces of the rotating support plates whereby the respectivepatterns of droplets generated differ with respect to initial origin,direction and, also, velocity. Therefore, the possibility of voids orinterstices in the resultant spray pattern of high velocity droplets sodeveloped is very substantially reduced.

Yet another advantage of the illustrative embodiments of this inventionresults from the provision of an improved feed device for supplyingwashing liquid. to the respective vane patterns mounted. on the supportplates. These feed devices are arranged so that the washing liquid issupplied to the surface of each. support plate uniformly about its axisof rotation. Accordingly, there is a more uniform distribution of thewashing liquid on the surfaces of the support plates which, in turn,assures the generation of an even and well-distributed droplet pattern.In addition, a feed device of novel type is positioned intermediateadjacent support plates along the drive shaft. The feeddevice jsopositioned is operative concurrently to swirl the washing liquid and tosupply it in the manner described to the spatially opposed surfaces ofthese support plates and into the vane patterns provided to each.

The foregoing and other objects and features of this invention willbecome apparent upon a consideration of the following detaileddescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical, axial sectional view of an air-washer orwet-type collector embodying the spraygenerating equipment of thisinvention.

FIGURE 1A is a partial axial sectional view of an air-washer generallysimilar to that of FIGURE 1 and showing another embodiment of theinvention. More particularly, FIGURE 1A illustrates an optional methodof directing washing fluid upward and onto the lower portion of thespray generator illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURES 2A and 2B illustrate certain advantageous impeller vane patternswhich are provided on the rotating support plates of the spray generatorillustrated in FIG- URE 1. More particularly, FIGURE 2A and 2B,respectively, show impeller vane patterns having radial vanes and vanesof predetermined curvature in the direction of rotation of the supportplate, respectively.

FIGURE 2C shows an axial of impeller vanes of FIGURE 1 mounted onopposite surfaces of a support plate.

FIGURE 3 is a sectorial view illustrating a variation in the structureof the support plate on which impeller vane patterns are mounted.

FIGURES 4A and 4B illustrate a top and a side view, partially insection, of a feed device housing for supplying washing fluid to therespective faces of the support plates.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the wet-type collector apparatus incorporating theprinciples of this invention includes an upright substantiallycylindrical casing 1 having an input duct 3 for directing contaminatedgas, for example, contaminated air, into the apparatus and an outputduct 5 for directing the subsequently washed gas, i.e. cleaned ofcontaminants, from the apparatus.

A rotating shaft 7, mounted coaxially in the casing 1,

supports an impeller fan 9, the spray-generating equipment comprisingthe spray-generating units 11, 13 and 15 and a washing liquid pump 17.The rotating shaft 7 is connected at the top exterior of the casing 1 toa sheave 19 which is driven by a motor, not shown, by means of theV-belts 21. The impeller fan 9, aligned with the output duct 5, ismounted on the shaft 7 at the top interior of the casing 1, and thewashed gas to be discharged is drawn up through the throat of an outputbaffle 10. The shaft 7 is suitably supported for rotation by bearingssuch as those indicated at 23, 23a and 23b. The bearings 23a and 23!;rest upon upper and lower plates 25a and 25b, respectively, forming partof a moisture-eliminating bafile system 27. This baffle system 27comprises a number of stationary deflectors providing a tortuous pathfor the upward traveling air. The baflle system 27 is of conventionaldesign and effects the removal of minute water particles which may becarried upward by the washed air directed from the scrubbing area.

The scrubbing area of the air-washing apparatus is situated below thebaffle system 27 and is indicated in FIGURE 1 as the longitudinalsegment a-a of the casing 1. The spray-generating equipment whichcomprises the units 11, 13 and 15 is located within the scrubbing areaa-a. As hereinafter further described, each of the units 11, 13 and 15includes a plurality of impeller vanes arranged in predetermined upperand lower patterns, for example, as illustrated in FIGURES 2A and 2B.Positioned above the unit 11 and also positioned between the pairs ofunits 11 and 13 and 13 and 15 are cylindrical feed device housings 29,31 and 33, respectively. The feed device housings 29, 31 and 33 aresupported in coaxial alignment about the shaft 7. By virtue of theparticular structure of the feed device housings 29, 31 and 33, moreparticularly shown in FIGURES 4A and 4B and hereinafter furtherdescribed, the washing liquid is directed to the spatially opposingfaces of the spraygenerating units 11, 13 and 15, respectively, anduniformly distributed about the shaft 7. Moreover, the washing liquid isswirled in the direction of rotation of a the shaft 7 whereby a maximumamount of the washing liquid finds its way into the respective vanepatterns mounted on the units 11, 13 and 15.

The washing liquid to be generated into a spray pattern is directedunder pressure in predetermined proportions to the feed device housings29, 31 and 33 by a pipe arrangement 35 supplied by a pressure pump 37.The pipe arrangement 35 is connected through the agency of T -couplersand the supply pipes 30, 32 and 34 of predetermined relative capacitiesto the feed device housings 29, 31 and 33, respectively. The pipearrangement 35 also serves to support the feed device housings 29, 31and 33 fixed in position about the rotating shaft 7. The pressure pump37 is immersed in a reservoir 39 situated below an inclined shed 16 ofthe casing 1. The shed 16 is connected to the reservoir 39 through arecirculation trough 18. The washing liquid and the wet contaminantswhich are removed from the upwardly flowing air run down the inner wallof casing 1 and, also, fall down against the upwardly flowing air ontothe shed 16 and are directed into the trough 18. The trough 18 mayinclude, for example, filtering apparatus, not shown, of the type shownin the above-mentioned Emil Umbricht Patent 2,833,417 for removing suchcontaminants from the washing fluid. The filtered washing liquid isthereupon returned to the reservoir 39 to be recirculated.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1, a corresponding feed device housing is notprovided for the lower face of the spray-generating unit 15. Rather, aliquid pump 17, which is conventional, is shown for supplying washingliquid from the reservoir 39 to the lower face of the unit 15. Asillustrated, the housing of the liquid pump 17 extends through the shed16 of the casing 1 and into the reservoir 39. In opening 41 is providedin the base of the housing of liquid pump 17 through which the washingliquid enters from the reservoir 39. Impeller blades of the liquid pump17 are mounted on the rotating shaft 7 and are operative to throw thewashing liquid upwardly and onto the lower face of the unit 15. Furtherdescription of the liquid pump 17 may be had by reference to US. PatentNo. 2,599,202.

However, and if desired, a feed device housing 43 of novel type can beprovided to supply washing liquid to the lower face of the unit 15 asshown in FIGURE 1A. In this event, an additional supply pipe 45 isconnected through a T-coupler to the pipe arrangement 35; also, the shed16 is made continuous to the trough 18. The rotating shaft 7a can,therefore, be terminated at a level slightly beneath the housing 43.However, to maintain the rotating shaft properly positioned, anadditional bearing 47 may be provided above the feed device housing 29,also shown in FIGURE 1A. The additional bearing 47 is supported by apair of braces 49 which extend from the walls of the casing 1. Among thebenefits to be derived by the use of the arrangement shown in IA, i.e.the rotating shaft 7a being cantilevered above the scrubbing area, arethose resulting from the fact that the bearing or friction points arenot exposed to corrosive gases which may be contained in thecontaminated air.

An annular bafiie 51 is located within the scrubbing area a-a' and ispositioned concentrically about the rotating shaft 7. The baffle 51extends from the inner wall of the casing 1. The contaminating airentering from the input duct 3 is distributed by the baffle 51 to passthrough the scrubbing area a-a' about the peripheries of thespray-generating units 11, 13 and 15.

During operation, the shaft 7 rotates each of the units 11, 13 and 15and, also, operates the impeller fan 9 and the liquid pump 17.Concurrently, the pressure pump 37 feeds washing liquid under pressurethrough the pipe arrangement 35 to the housings 29, 31 and 33. Theimpeller fan 9 sucks in contaminated air through the input duct 3, andthe air is distributed about the baffle 51 and passes upwardly throughthe scrubbing area aa'.

The contaminated airis thus forced to pass upwardly through ahigh-speed, uniform spray developed by combined actions of therespective vane patterns of the rotating units 11, 13 and 15. Thishigh-speed, uniform spray is comprised of thin layers of high velocitydroplets impelled from the respective upper and lower vane patterns ofeach of the units 11, 13 and 15. As hereafter to be described, therespective layers of droplets overlap and are diversely oriented withrespect totheir initial origins, directions and velocities The result isa concentrated, uniformly distributed spray pattern of very highefiiciency. Accordingly, the contaminated air passing through the spraypattern is subjected to a washing, i.e. bombardment, by fast-movingdroplets. The air, after being washed, is directed upwardly through thebattle system 27 to remove any moisture contained therein and isdischarged through the output 5. It is found that this air-washingsystem is very effective in removing even the most minute contaminants.The washing liquid together with the contaminants collected thereinfalls onto the shed 16 and is returned through the trough 18 to thereservoir 39.

To fully understand the operation of the spray generator in accordancewith the principles of this invention, reference is now had to FIGURES2A to 2C. FIGURES 2A and 2B, respectively, represent opposite faces ofone of the spray-generating units 11, 13 or 15. Each unit includes asupport plate 61 shown here as circular in the form of .a slinger discmade of steel or stainless steel or similar material, depending upon thecorrosion characteristics of the gas and its contaminants. The supportplate 61 has a central opening 63 and is provided with an integralcoaxial hub 65 fixedly secured to the shaft 7, e.g. by set screw, keyingpin, etc. Extending outwardlyfrorn the hub 65 and on each face of theslinger disc 61 is a plurality of impeller vanes ofpredeterminedcurvature. For example, in FIGURE 2A,the'impeller vanes 67are shown as being substantial radial, i.e. having an infinite radius ofcurvature; in FIGURE 2B, the impeller vanes 69 are shown as having afinite radius of curvature. The outer ends of the respective impellervanes terminate flush with the periphery of the slinger disc 61. Incertain applications the radius of the slinger disc 61 may bereducedwith respect to the diameter of the impeller vane patterns so that theends of thevanes 67 and 69'extend beyond the periphery of the disc asshown in FIGURE 3. In this event, a strengthening ring 71 may beprovided to support the outer ends of the'vanes.

To increase the efficiency of the spray generator of this invention byproviding a more uniform distribution of the spray, a large number ofimpeller vanes is preferred in each vane pattern. Accordingly, thenumber of impeller vanes is effectively increased by positioning one ormore vanes 72jand 73 between the vanes 67 and 69, respectively. Theinner ends of the vanes are tapered, as shown in FIGURES 2A and 2B, soas to provide a large clearance space to accommodate the outwardacceleration of large volumes of the liquid. Accordingly, theconcentration of the high velocity droplets comprising the individuallayers of the spray pattern developed is increased with .a correspondingincreased gas-washing efficiencyf i f r In the practice of invention,the vanes mounted on the respective faces of the rotatingspray-generating units 11, 13and15 are differing angular position and ofdiiferingcurvatures so as to produce the desierd uniformity indistribution of the high velocity droplets. Also, the individual vaneson the top and bottom of each slinger disc, eg. ,thedisc 61, arestaggered-wherebythe origin and direction of the high velocity dropletsis different for each layer of the spray. pattern. Moreover, theindividual spray-generating units 11,.13and of FIGURE 1 are keyed to theshaft 7 at progressively difierent angular settings so that theindividual vane patterns are staggered with respect to those of theother units.

6 By virtue of the strength of the units 11, 13 and 15 and the balancedstructure of the individual vane patterns, these units are adapted to berotated at very highjspeeds while maintaining a symmetry of forcedistribution about the shaft 7. Further, the spray-generating units 11,13

and 15 are not subject to deforming stresses as each comprises a solidunitary structure extending in a plane perpendicular to the shaft. Asillustrated in FIGURE 2C, 1

velocity droplets. The washing liquid, in each'instance,

is directed by the feed device housings 29, 31*and 33 to the upper andlower faces of the rotating units 11, 13 and 15 of FIGURE 1 abouttheshaft 7 and is accelerated outwardly along the respective surfacesbetween the individual vane patterns disposed thereon. In addition tothe other advantages, the tapering of the impeller vanes and thealternating of longer and shorter vanes as shown in FIGURES 2A and 2Ballows for accommodation of a larger amount of the washing liquid on thesurfaces of the discs 61. The reason for this advantageous arrangementis that a large number of impeller vanes in a particular pattern ispreferred at the periphery of the annular support plate 61; but if allof them extended to the center, the ends of these impeller vanes inclose proximity to the hub 65 would become crowded, and accordingly,less of the washing liquid would find its way to the surface of the disc61, and a large portion of the washing liquid, on being supplied to thesurface of a particular spray-gencrating unit, would be deflected andnot caught on the forward face of the individual vanes. The alternatingof the longer and shorter vanes 67 and 72 and 69 and 73 and, also, thetapering of the vanes, as illustrated, is accordingly advantageous.Therefore, the washing liquid inlarge volume feeds to the surface of therotating disc 61 and is accelerated out by the respective vane patternsas from a liquid pool. In addition, any portion of the washing liquidwhich may be deflected upwardly or downwardly from one of the units 11,13 or 15 engages one of the neighboring units and is flung outwardlysoas to participate in the creation of the washing spray.

Due to the very high speed of rotation as indicated by the curved arrows78 and 79 in FIGURES 2A and 2B, the Washing fluid directed to therespective surfaces of the support plates 11, 13 and 15 flows into therespective vane patterns and is centrifugally accelerated along thefaces of the individual vanes as indicated by tliearrows, 80 and 82. Asthe washing liquidtravels outwardly along the forward faces of theindividual vanes 67 and 72 and 69 and '73 as a layer it continues toaccelerate. At :the outer end of each individual vane, the washingliquidis effectively broken up into tiny droplets which are hurled outwardlyat high velocity in the direction shown by the arrows 84 and 86.

Thus, the total spray developed by all the vaned impellers is, ineffect, a stack of layers "of high velocitydroplets, the droplets ofeach layer emanating from a particular impeller. With respect to theradial vanes 67 and 72 shown in FIGURE 2A, the individual droplets areimpelled with both a radial and a tangential component of direction inthe direction shown by the arrows 84 at very high velocities equal tothe peripheral speed of the impeller vane tip from which they areprojected. Ad- 'vantageously, the curvature of the impeller vanes 69 and73 shown in FIGURE 2B throws the droplets therefrom in the directionshown by the arrows 86 and causes the tangential and radial velocitiesof the individual liquid droplets to be compounded, whereby relativelyhigher velocities of the droplets are achieved. The washing liquid isfurther accelerated into the direction of rotation of the individualimpeller vanes 69 and 73.

The angle A or B between a tangent 88 to the path of revolution of theouter end of each vane and the direction 84 or 86 each vane 67, 69, 72and 73 throws droplets is determined by the curvature and the angularvelocity of the outer end of the vane and the outward velocity 80 or 82of the liquid. It will be noted that the forwardly curving vanes 69 and73 provide a component of forward velocity as indicated by the arrows82, which is added to the rotational velocity of the vanes. Thus, thefinal speed of the droplets emanating from these vanes is desirablyincreased and the droplets are projected in a more forwardly directionso that the angle B is less than the angle A. Accordingly, thosedroplets are impelled from the curving vanes at different angles and,also, at. greater velocities than those impelled from the radial vanes67 and 72. Therefore, the droplets leaving impeller vanes 69 and 73overlap the droplets leaving the vanes 67 and 72 at different angles andspeeds, and the possibility of voids within the spray pattern is verysubstantially eliminated so that a more uniform coverage of the volumeof treated gas is obtained.

In order to provide a uniform distribution about the periphery of thespray-generating units 11, 13 and 15, the feed device housings 29, 31and 33 of FIGURE 1 and also, the feed device housing 43 of FIGURE 1A, ifemployed, are adapted to direct washing fluid with a circular flowcomponent 90 to the respective units 11, 13 and 15 corresponding withthe direction of rotation of these units.

FIGURES 4A and 4B are enlarged views of the annular jet feed device 31shown in FIGURE 1. This device forms an annular chamber around the shaft7, but with clearance at the center to provide annular dischargeorifices 93 and 95 to control the distribution of the washing liquid andmaintain pressure in the annular chamber 31 thus causing the liquid tobe discharged both top and bottom in a forceful conical jet against theVaned faces of the discs 11-15, as indicated by the arrows 94 and 96aimed toward the tapered inner ends of the vanes 67 and 69. In order toconfine the liquid under pressure inthe housing so as to provide theconical jets 94 and 96 the total cross-sectional area of the annulardischarge orifices 93, 95 is no greater, and advantageously less, thanhalf the cross-sectional area of the supply pipe 32.

As illustrated, the supply pipe 32 directs washing liquid under pressureinto the feed device housing 31 at an angle substantially tangential tothe inner wall 97 and in the direction of rotation of the shaft 7, asindicated by the arrows 8 and 90. Accordingly, the washing fluid isdeflected along the curved inner wall 97 of the feed device housing 31and acquires a circular flow component within the housing correspondingwith the rotation of the shaft 7. Due to the rotational flow component,the washing fluid passes concurrently through the vents 93 and 95, i.e.upwardly and downwardly, and is equally distributed about the peripheryof the rotating shaft 7 on the juxtaposed faces of the units 11 and 13,for example, as shown in FIGURE 1. A differential in the diameters ofthe vents 93 and 95 can be provided to control the proportion of thewashing liquid being fed to these juxtaposed faces, but in mostapplications these vents are of the same diameter. When a feed devicehousing, e.g. the feed device housings 29 and 43 of FIGURES l and 1A,respectively, is employed to feed washing fluid only to the surface of asingle spray-generating unit, e.g. the upper face of the unit 11 or thelower face of the unit 15, then the vents 95 and 93, respectively, aresealed. For example, the feed device housing may be provided with aninner sleeve disposed, with close clearance, about'the shaft 8 7, so asto close up the vent on the opposite side from which the washing liquidis to be discharged. I

Further, this invention is not intended to be limited to theillustrative embodiments as hereinabove described as it will be apparentthat many refinements will occur toone skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof.

I claim:

1. A multiple disk centrifugal gas washer which comprises a centralshaft, a plurality of substantially flat spaced disks affixed to saidshaft with top and bottom surfaces substantially normal to the axis ofthe shaft, means for rotatingthe shaft at high speed, a housingsurrounding the shaft and disks but spaced therefrom to define a pathfor flow of the gas over the peripheral edges of said disks, means forflowing gas into said housing, along said path and out 'of the housing,means for supplying wash liquid to the top and bottom surfaces of saiddisks, generally radially directed vane means on each of said surfacesof said disks extending from near said shaft to adjacent the peripheriesof said disks and differing in form between certain of said surfaces forbreaking up the liquid into droplets and for accelerating and slingingsaid droplets from said disks substantially in the plane thereof atsufliciently high speeds to cause nearly all said droplets to traversesaid flow of gas and to reach said housing.

2. A gas 'washer as defined in claim 1 in which said disk surfaces havevanes angularly spaced fartherv apart near the outer edge of the diskthan near the center, and the faces of said vanes are substantiallynormal to the surfaces of said disks.

3. A gas washer as defined in claim 2 in which shorter vanes arepositioned between and spaced from longer vanes, the ends of saidshorter vanes adjacent the axis of the shaft being .at a greater radiusfrom the axis than the corresponding ends of said longer vanes andsharp, whereby to divide liquid flowing outward between said longervanes.

4. A gas washer as defined in claim 3 in which said vanes are of threedifferent lengths.

5. A gas washer as defined in claim 1 in which theshaft rotates at veryhigh speed and is mounted in bearing means within the housing which arelocated above the disks.

6. A gas washer as defined in claim 1 in which said means on thesurfaces of the disks are vanes which extend at an angle obliquely tothe radius of said disks.

7. A gas washer as defined in claim 1 in which said means 'on thesurfaces of the disks are vanes which are curved toward the direction ofrotation from substantially radial near said shaft to substantiallycanted at the periphery of said disks.

8. A gas washer as defined in claim 6 wherein the angle to the radius atwhich the vanes on each disk surface are set is different from thecorresponding angle on other disk surfaces.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,095835 Fiddes May 5, 1914 1,528,204 Greenawalt Mar. 3, 1925 1,856,120Valentine May 3, 1932 1,973,051 Doolittle Sept. 11, 1934 1,992,762 PeaseFeb. 25, 1935 2,220,275 Preston Nov. 5, 1940 2,268,219 Lyons et al. Dec.30, 1941 2,539,344 Carraway Jan. 23, 1951 2,721,623 Fletcher et a1 Oct.25, 1955 2,789,866 Umbricht Apr. 23, 1957 2,815 246 Nyrop Dec. 3, 19572,889,005 Umbricht June 2, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 622,123 Germany Nov. 21,1935

1. A MULTIPLE DISK CENTRIFUGAL GAS WASHER WHICH COMPRISES A CENTRAL SHAFT, A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT SPACED DISKS AFFIXED TO SAID SHAFT WITH TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE AXIS OF THE SHAFT, MEANS FOR ROTATING THE SHAFT AT HIGH SPEED, A HOUSING SURROUNDING THE SHAFT AND DISKS BUT SPACED THEREFROM TO DEFINE A PATH FOR FLOW OF THE GAS OVER THE PERIPHERAL EDGES OF SAID DISKS, MEANS FOR FLOWING GAS INTO SAID HOUSING, ALONG SAID PATH AND OUT OF THE HOUSING, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING WASH LIQUID TO THE TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES OF SAID DISKS, GENERALLY RADIALLY DIRECTED VANE MEANS ON EACH OF SAID SURFACES OF SAID DISKS EXTENDING FROM NEAR SAID SHAFT TO ADJACENT THE PERIPHERIES OF SAID DISKS AND DIFFERING IN FORM BETWEEN CERTAIN OF SAID SURFACES FOR BREAKING UP THE LIQUID INTO DROPLETS AND FOR ACCELERATING AND SLINGING SAID DROPLETS FROM SAID DISKS SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PLANE THEREOF AT SUFFICIENTLY HIGH SPEEDS TO CAUSE NEARLY ALL SAID DROPLETS TO TRAVERSE SAID FLOW OF GAS AND TO REACH SAID HOUSING. 